Global Courant
Amtrak travel between Chicago and St. Louis is about to get 15 minutes faster thanks to a high-speed rail project that will allow trains to reach speeds of 110 mph, Governor JB Pritzker said Monday.
The higher speeds will take effect on June 26 and reduce the duration of the journey from the current five hours and 13 minutes. Trips from St. Louis to Chicago are a few minutes shorter, according to Amtrak timetables.
Existing speed limits on the route are 90 mph.
ILLINOIS AMTRAK TRAIN HITS 111 MPH IN TEST RUN
In addition to increasing speeds, the $1.96 billion project also delivered safety improvements at 212 grade-separated intersections, Pritzker said.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker announced a new high-speed rail plan that would allow trains between Chicago and St. Louis to reach 110 mph. The current maximum speed for the trains is 90 mph. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
AMTRAK TRAIN HITS SEMI IN ILLINOIS
“The railroad has always been a vital part of our state’s infrastructure, but today we’re taking a major step toward modernizing railroad services,” said U.S. Senator Dick Durbin.
Funding for the project includes $1.66 billion in federal funding, primarily through an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant awarded that year, and $300 million in state and non-federal funds.
Global Courant
The project broke in 2010 and was completed in 2018. But it has endured several years of test runs.
